Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is an interactive adventure through the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, where apprentice sorcerers use spells in the form of cards to defeat Disney Villains. My 8-year-old thought it was the best part of our recent visit to Walt Disney World (and this was the year he discovered Space Mountain!)

There are two recruitment stations. One on Main Street and one in Liberty Square.

The game is free with your admission and starts at one of two ‘recruitment stations.’ The Fire Station at the beginning of Main Street is the first recruitment station, but there is another in Liberty Square with shorter lines, especially in the morning. Once armed with the right tools, (a special map, key and five spell cards), Merlin the Magician, from the Sword and the Stone makes you his apprentice. Then it’s off on the first mission!

Each set of cards send you on a different adventure that starts in a different location. Use the map provided to find portals throughout the Magic Kingdom. Once you find the portal, use your magic band or a card provided to you to activate the game at that location. Use the spell cards to defeat the villains. Each mission takes about 20 minutes to complete. Completing the entire game takes about five hours. Once you’ve done that, return to the recruitment station for a new set of cards. Each new set of cards sends you on increasingly harder missions. For more tips and tricks, visit the unofficial Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom blog.

At the recruiting center you’ll receive training, a map, key card and five spell cards.

Portals are unlocked by waiving a key card in front of the locks.

The game is a lot of fun, and it’s a great way for return visitors to experience the park in a whole new way. Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom debuted in early 2012, so it’s still fairly new. I see so many possibilities for the game. My sons were keen to know if they could continue playing at home – that would be fantastic and from a marketing perspective, a great way to keep kids (especially boys in the difficult to reach tween range) engaged with the brand. I do see some pitfalls that I’m sure Disney is working out. Mainly wait times. As the game gets more popular, I can see long waits to reach each portal, which would take away from the experience. As with most popular attractions, playing at off hours will mean less waiting.

Use cards to cast spells and defeat Disney Villains.

All-in-all, we loved this new addition and I can’t wait to see where they take it. Look for a similar program at other Disney Parks including:

I visited Disney World as part of the Disney Social Media Moms Conference. Disney Social Media Moms Conference attendees paid a conference fee which included hotel accommodations, park tickets, meals, admission to private parties, and more. We were not required or asked to write about the conference.